Seven short films, two international shows, a radio fiction for the elderly, two activities for children and LGBTIQ + themed workshops make up the program of the first edition of the International Theater Festival for Equality, an event organized by the Igualdad Fund which will take place in different spaces Buenos Aires between this Tuesday (1st) and Friday 4th November.
“An LGBTIQ + theater festival is very important because people and the public can identify, recognize, know or see the different realities of the community“, To explain Pedro Subtle Paradisepresident of the Equality Foundation.
With free shows at the Borges Cultural Center, El Sábato Cultural Space and San Martín Cultural Centerin addition to the activities carried out at the Foundation’s headquarters, the event – coordinated by Paul Caballero – is part of the numerous activities in view of the Pride March, next Saturday 5.
Clear goals
With the aim of “becoming a point of connection and articulation between the different theatrical expressions on the themes of sexual diversity, defense of human rights and preservation of the historical memory of the LGBTIQ + community “, the Festival will host a selection of short works.
Also an international champion with songs from the Hispanic community in the United States and Puerto Rico: replicas, by Leo Cabranes-Grant, directed by Mariana Quiles; Y Snowballwritten, directed and performed by Puerto Rican Josean Ortiz. The details of these and many other proposals are available on the web www.teatroporlaigualdad.ar
In a collective response mode, in order not to ignore the contribution of any of the many people involved, the organization discussed the genesis of the festival and the state of Argentine theater in relation to the theme of diversity.
How did the idea of doing this festival come about?
-The idea was born during the tour of re-converts, a work that is part of an Equality Foundation project against conversion therapies. When the work was done in the United States in March of this year, we got in touch with ForceFesta Latin LGBT theater festival in New York organized by the Hispanic Federation.
The synergy with them was complete and at that moment we thought so it was important to intertwine experiences and have a festival of their own in Buenos Aires. There hasn’t been a major LGBTIQ + theater festival in our country since 2009; the last was in Resistencia, of which three editions were made.
Also in Madrid (Spain) we presented the Equality Awards of the Equality Foundation recognizing Pedro Almodóvar and Jordi Petit. There we were able to articulate and dialogue with the Pedro Zerolo Foundation, where we understood the need and importance of organizing an international festival as an act of militancy and cultural and social transformation, as an action of artivism.
This is why the International Theater Festival for Equality was born in its first edition based in Argentina, with the aim that the next editions will be held in Buenos Aires, New York and Madrid to promote human rights and sexual diversity.
The selection criteria
What can you tell us about the works received in the August announcement? And what were the selection criteria to compose the program?
It was a wonderful experience to see and receive so many proposals, works, desires and talents. We noticed that there were many topics related to the testimonial, which we interpreted as an expressive need to transform into art many of the situations we experience every day as an LGBTIQ + community in the country, in the region and in the world.
Our goal from the programming of the festival is to give space to these different voices, to a community that from militancy and art proposes different points of view to promote and guarantee a world with greater and better democracy, equity, equality and without discrimination.
We also took into account that not only the plays were LGBTIQ + themed, but that people in our community also participate in the cast, direction or dramaturgy.
How would you define the usual proposals of the Buenos Aires theater square in relation to the theme of diversity? What progress has been made in recent years?
-While at some point it was thought that LGBTIQ + themed works would become a genre in their own right, the truth is that it hasn’t stopped happening. We note that there are proposals in independent theater, but it is necessary to explore much more in the stories that have to do with sexual dissidence and their conflicts, and to integrate the proposals much more.
In our festival we dedicate a space in the San Martín Cultural Center to LGBTIQ + seniors who live their particular experiences that deserve to be told, as well as a proposal for children.
And in the rest of the country?
-The phenomenon is more or less similar, as well as worldwide: the great progress is that it is no longer news or scandal that there are LGBTIQ + themed works in every corner of our country. Only a few years ago there were rejections and even protests; Fortunately, today it is already part of a past for which we fight every day so that it does not come back.
But in many other places in the world it is still very difficult, and even impossible, due to violence and fundamentalism, to advance hate speech and anti-rights groups, which seek to break the paradigm of inclusion and diversity.
What effects and / or contributions do you think the Festival can produce?
-We look forward to contributing to promoting the principles and values of the Equality Foundation, with a gender, human rights and diversity perspective. We are convinced that theater and art are fundamental tools for the social and cultural transformation we need.
We hope that society and the public will be able, in addition to appreciating the works for what they are, artistic expressions that start from the need to tell something, that the festival will serve as a sounding board to amplify the conflicts that each work poses, in order to reflect, discuss and promote social, political, cultural, economic and legislative changes.
Our contribution and desire is also to be able to create, support and strengthen collective spaces that recognize and guarantee the various proposals of independent, militant and civil society organizations to deconstruct a historical paradigm of exclusion, discrimination and repression experienced by artistic and cultural initiatives. . sexual dissent. And we do it with love, resilience and pride.
Source: Telam
Source: Clarin
